Brendan Griffin (Kerry South, Fine Gael)
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246. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his views on establishing a funding scheme for local authorities planning to carry out feasibility studies on possible new greenway or cycle and walkway routes, such as the possibility of extending the planned Glenbeigh to Renard Greenway from Glenbeigh to Killorglin and-or Farranfore, Kerry Airport and Fossa; his further views that funding feasibility studies would be of great assistance to the planning of future greenways; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1958/15]

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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The establishment of a funding scheme under which local authorities can apply to undertake feasibility studies for possible new greenways-cycle routes is a very worthwhile proposal.

My Department established such a funding scheme in 2013 in advance of the 2014-2016 National Cycle Network Funding (NCN) call. The purpose of this scheme was to make available some 'seed finance' to a small number of authorities to undertake initial project planning, design or necessary studies for which the authority would not otherwise have had the financial resources and which would enable the authority to be well placed to submit a developed proposal under the upcoming funding call.

28 authorities responded to my Department's invitation to submit an expression of interest under this scheme submitting a total of 33 proposals. 12 proposals were selected and shared in funding of €420,000. Kerry County Council were awarded €50,000 to undertake an environmental and geotechnical assessment for the Glenbeigh to Reenard Trail which subsequently received funding under the NCN 2014-2016 and Stimulus funding programmes.

Given that all funding under the NCN programme is now fully committed to end 2016 a repeat of this scheme cannot be considered at present.